Fin laughed. ‘We do. I guess that’s a good thing, though, right?’
‘Sure. But we’re either going to have to get better at it or go into hiding.’
‘I vote for the hiding option.’
‘God… can you imagine the headline then?’
‘Newly Engaged Childhood Sweethearts Disappear to Make a Grandbaby,’he offered in a deep TV announcer voice.
‘Finally!’ Sweeney added.
They both cracked up and somehow, in the process, she grasped the front of his shirt and Fin’s arm went around her shoulders and they leaned against each other as the laughter overtook them in a kind of manic hysteria, the way it often had when they’d been kids without a care in the world.
By the time it subsided, they were both a little out of breath. ‘Maybe we really will laugh about this one day,’ she said.
‘I’m sure we will. Let’s just not tell our mums, okay?’
They grinned at each other then, like a pair of loons, still trying to catch their breath, and Fin really couldn’t think of another woman he’d rather be with in this mother-induced predicament. Her eyes were sparkling and it was Sweeney and hell, he’dmissedher.
Also, how easy would it be right now to lean in and kiss her?
Fin blinked at the errant thought and suddenly he wasn’t smiling anymore. Neither was she. They were just staring at each other. He was acutely conscious of his breath and the faint thud of his pulse through his ears and his arm slung loosely around her shoulders.
Almost in unison, they straightened, and she unclutched his shirt at the same time his hand fell from her shoulder. She cleared her throat, her gaze tracking to the lake. ‘Think I’m going to go for a dip.’
His gaze followed hers, past all the locals and tourists enjoying the warm weather and festival atmosphere, past the tent where there was a demo of Irish dancing taking place, to the narrow strip of sand and the expanse of water beyond. There were a few swimmers frolicking around the rickety old jetty, off which a few kids were leaping. But largely, water pursuits had been abandoned in favour of group picnic blankets and communal food, the air heavy with aromas of woodsmoke and sausages frying on the BBQ.
Ordinarily, Fin would have joined Sweeney, but not after whatever the hell had just happened. Maybe theywouldlaugh about this one day, but for now it was justweird.There was probably a fancier Latin-based word for it, but weird suited best.
She departed without further comment and Fin drained his beer as he watched her walk away. She paused to snatch up the brightly striped canvas holdall she’d brought with her before heading towards the lake edge, meandering around picnic blankets, dodging little kids hyped up on sugar and narrowly avoiding a stray ball that bounced across her path.
When her feet hit the sand, she dropped her bag and, in one quick shimmy, she stepped out of her dress andholy strapless one-piece, Batman, Fin almost choked on his tongue.
He was today years old when the realisation hit him—he had a type. Until now he’d never understood the need to limit himself, but staring at Sweeney’s ass and the way it curved out from her waist and sat round and full and luscious—barely contained by the fabric of her cherry red swimmers—was a religious experience. Not to mention that sweet undercurve drawing his eye to the lush softness of her thighs that kissed at the top as she strutted to the water.
Well,fuck.
‘You dirty,dirtydevil, you never said a word.’
Starting guiltily, Fin turned to see Donny at his side. His cousin grinned at him and handed over an icy cold beer. Fin took it and chugged back several mouthfuls, hoping a severe brain freeze would derail the tropical rush of lust fogging his brain.
‘I don’t get it,’ Donny said. ‘She always fancied me over you.’
Fin snorted. ‘She barely tolerated you.’
‘Nah, man. She used to shoot me those withering looks. Everyone knows that’s shorthand forI’m totally hot for you.’
‘You used to pick your scabs and eat them.’
Unperturbed, he shrugged. ‘What can I say, girls loved me.’
It was true. Despite him being a short, pale kid with a shock of fluffy red hair, Donny had been smoother with the opposite sex at eight than Fin had been for most of his life. A boy with five older sisters justknewstuff.
‘Still can’t wrap my head aroundyoubeing married with two kids. How does that even happen?’
‘Well, when two people love each other, they have special cuddles and—’
Fin interrupted his cousin with aha-you-so-funnylook. ‘I can’t believe Mai agreed to havespecial cuddleswith you twice.’
